Car-underframe construction



2 Sheets-Sheet l Q a s B. W. KADEL CAR UNDERFRAIVIE CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV.- 1'7, 1924 Oct.y 19 1926.

'Oct 19 1926.

B. W. KADEL CAR UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 1'?, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 19, 1926. y

- 'iT 'l' EFFIC.

Ynns w'. KABEL, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, Assrenon, BY Mnsnn AssiGNMnnrs, To THE sYMrneron COMPANY, A conronArion or MARYLAND.

CAR-UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed November 17, 1924. Serial No. 750,396.

The invention relates to car underframes and more particularly to underframe construction in which the center sills project beyond the end sill.

The primary object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide an underframe construction having` attachments applied thereto and modifications made or embodied therein whereby a draft gear of the horizon tal yoke type may be installed.

It is well known that in underframe construction of the type mentioned difficulties are encountered upon the installation of a horizontal yoke draft gear owing to the fact that the distance between the backstop and the ends of the center sills is such that the slots which must be provided in the center sills for the passage of'the transverse keys of the draft gear are located so close to the ends of the sills that there would ordinarily be danger of tearing out of the metal between the ends of the slots and the ends of the sills, under draft.

It is with these facts in view that l have designed the present construction which has for a more specific object the employment of a striking casting secured upon the ends of the center sills and so formed as to have 'engagement with the forward ends of. the 'cheek plates mounted at and within the slots in the center sills, the striking` casting being secured to the webs of the center sills at a suflicie'nt 'number of points located in such positions that the striking casting will take or bear the strains incident to a pivotal iio'venent of the `coupler when under draft instead of the strains coming upon the forward ends of the 'slots in the rcenter sills.

' An important objectof the invention is to provide projecting portions on the inner face of the striking casting outwardly of the cheek plates adapted to be engaged by the forward draft key upon angling thereof as 'the result of lateral swinging movement of the coupler, whereby the overstrains will be borne directly by the striking casting itself, no leverage or other strain coming upon the cheek plates, consequently avoiding damage to 'the cheek plates or other parts ,inasmuch as the striking casting, being a hea'v'j and rigidly mounted body, is amply sepia le of sustaining the stresses'.

Another object of the invention is to provide a uniform construction wherein a strikmg casting is mounted upon the forward ends of the center sills which project beyond the end sill, the striking casting being arranged in surrounding or embracing relation to the center sills whereby'the sills will be bridged and braced and spreading for any cause prevented, the formation and arrangement of the parts being, moreover, such that bufling strain applied to the striking casting will be transmitted directly to the center sills longitudinally thereof, vthus avoiding distortion of the parts.

To these and `other ends, the invention comprises the various elements and combinations of elements to be hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings chosen to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure l is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section showing a portion of a horizontal yoke draft gear and illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 3 is a detail horizontalrsection on a larger scale showing the forward draft key invan extreme tilted position and in engagement with the projection at one side of the striking casting.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 3, slightly modified with respect to the construct-ion shown in Figure 2. y

Referring more particularly t-o the drawings, it will be observed that l have illustrated an underframe construction in which the 'center sills l extend beyond the end sill 2, the central portion of which overlies the said center sills, yand is or may be provided at or adjacent the said Asills with a reinforcing angle bar 8. ris stated above, the intention is to provide a construction permitting the installation of a draft gear of the type including a horizontal yoke 5 surrounding a coupler shank and engaging against the front follower block 6 of whatever specific cushion device, indicated diagrammatically at 7, is provided. Passing through the coupler shank, which is slotted at S for the purpose, is a draft key 9` extending through slots 10 in the arms of the yoke 5, and passing through. the follower 5, which is slotted at 11 for the purpose, is a draft key 12 extending through slots 13 in the arms of the yoke.

In adapting the underframe construction for the installation of this type of gear, the center sills 1 are formed with elongated slots 14 which necessarily extend to points adjacent the ends. are the cheek plates 15 which have slots 16 and 1T for the reception of the keys 9 and 12, respetively. Each of the cheek plates is formed with a boss 1S, the bosses fitting within the slots let in the center sills, as is customary. The cheek plates are located against the outer faces of the center' sills and have outstanding flanges 19 at their rear ends and upper and lower' sides through which pass rivets 2O by which the said plates are effectively secured in position, the rivets passing through the webs of the center sills. At the forward ends of the cheek plat-es are flanges 21 which extend slightly beyond the forward ends of the slots 111 in the center sills.

I also provide a striking casting designated broadly by the numeral Q2, which casting may be of substantially inverted U-shape and includes sides 23 located outwardly of the center sills, and secured thereto ata plurality of points as by means of rivets 2st and Q5, the former of which are represented as lying in vertical alinement and the latter of which pass through rearwardly extending ears 9.6 on the side portions 23. The striking casting further includes an upper portion 27 shown as overlying the angle bar 8 in Fig. 2. The forward edges of the sides 22 are formed with inwardly extending flanges 28 and the lower ends terminate in inwardly extending ledges 9.9 on which rests the carry iron 30 held against displacement by a bolt 81 or the like.

A feature of the invention is the provision of lateral outward extensions 32 on the sides 23 of the striking casting, which extensions have their rear4 or inner faces recessed or otherwise shaped or formed, as indicated at 33, for the reception of the forward ends of the cheek plates, a nominal clearance being Vshown to permit slight variation in cheek plates which, as is well known are simply rough castings. outwardly lof the cheek plates the extensions 32 Yare formed with projections or lugs 341 having inclined faces 35. These lugs are of such'form and are so arranged that the rearmost points thereof are substantially in line with the forward ends of the slots 1G in the cheek plates. The position of the lugs and the inclination of the faces thereof are such that when the forward draft key 9 is'moved at an angle as the result of lateral swinging movement of the coupler shank t, the forward edge of the key will engage against one of the lugs Bt and relieve the engagement with the Surrounding these slots 1114 cheek plate, the entire strain finally coming upon the striking casting itself instead of upon theV forward end of the cheek plate. This position is illustrated in detail in Figure 3.

It will be notedthat the striking casting extends outwardly of the forward ends and the outer faces of the center sills and that the center sills are thus bridged and braced so that spreading under any circumstances will be prevented. Furthermore, this location and mounting of the striking casting will permit excessive bufling strains to-be taken up hy the center sills. Owing to the fact that the striking casting has inwardly extending fiance portions overlying the ends of tie center sills and, in the modification shown in Fig. 4, the cheek plates, and owing to the substantial abutment of the striking casting against the cheek plates, it is evident that the shear strains on the rivets holding the striking casting will be greatly reduced if not eliminated.

In an undeifraine construction such that illustrated and described, it is evident that a horizontal yoke draft gear may be easily installed in such manner as to insure great strength and rigidity inasmuch as the heavy striking casting will sustain all excessive stresses or strains in draft, the cheek plates themselves and the ends of the slots in the center sills being relieved thereof, especially at the most critical times, namely when the coupler swings laterally.

I claim:

1. In a car underframe construction, center sills formed with slots for the reception of draft keys of a horizontal yoke draft gear, a striking casting secured upon the ends of the center sills and having the rear faces of its opposite sides provided with recesses, and slotted cheek plates secured to the center sills and having their forward ends received within said recesses.

2. In a car underframe construction, center sills slotted for the accommodation of keys of a horizontal yoke draft gear located therebetween, a striking casting secured upon the ends of the center sills and having lateral extensions at its rear edges formed with recesses adjacent the ends of the slots in the sills, and slotted cheek plates secured against the sills and having their forward ends conformingly received within said recesses.

8. In a car underframe construction in-y cluding end sills and center sills projecting therebeyond, the center sills being formed with slots, a striking casting secured upon the center sillsand including lateral extensions at the rear edges of its sides, said lateral extensions being formed with recesses adjacent the forward ends of the slots in the sills, and slotted cheek plates secured against the outer sides of the sills iai and having their forward ends engaged within said recesses whereby the cheek plates may be mounted in an extreme forward position to permit the installation of a horizontal yoke draft gear embodying transverse draft keys received within the slots in the sills and cheek plates.

4. In a car underframe construction, center sills slotted for the accommodation of the keys of a horizontal yoke draft gear located therebetween, a striking casting secured upon the ends of the center sills and having lateral extensions at its side edges formed with recesses adjacent the ends of the slots in the sills, and slotted cheek plates secured against the sills and having their outer ends conformingly received within said recesses, said lateral extensions on the striking casting being formed with projections having faces substantially in line with the adjacent ends of the forward slots in the cheek plates and adapted to be engaged by the forward draft key in the event of excessive lateral angling thereof.

5. In a car underframe construction, slotted center sills, cheek plates secured to the sills and slotted for the accommodation of the keys of a draft gear located between the sills, and a striking casting secured upon the sills and having lateral extensions at its rear edges formed with projections having faces substantially opposite the forward ends of the forward slots in the cheek plates and adapted to be engaged by the forward rear edges forme-d with projections having l faces substantially opposite the forward ends of the forward slots in the cheek plates and adapted to be engaged by the forward draft key in the event of excessive lateral angling thereof, said faces being inclined outwardly and forwardly to conform to the angularity of the key when the latter is in an excessively angularposition, the engagement of the key with a projection relieving the engagement of the key with the cheek plate.

7. In a car underframe construction, the combination with an end sill and center sills projecting therebeyond, of a striking casting secured upon the projecting ends of the center sills and arranged in embracing relation thereto, the striking casting having portions overlying the ends of the center sills, cheek plates secured to the center sills, the cheek plates and center sills having registering slots, and the striking casting having its rear edges recessed for `the reception of the forward ends of the cheek plates and substantially abutting thereagainst.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

BYERS W. KABEL. 

